Erik ten Hag's side have one foot in the final of the Carabao Cup after a 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest, with Marcus Rashford starring again.
It was business as usual for Marcus Rashford as the attacker helped fire Manchester United to a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
The England international humiliated the Forest defence as he went on an excellent run down the left wing before smashing in an early opening goal in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Rashford remains unstoppable for the Red Devils having scored in all but one of his 10 games since returning to domestic action following the World Cup.
While Rashford put in the kind of quality display United fans have come to expect from him, Wout Weghorst showed he can contribute a great deal to their pursuit of a trophy this season, too.
The Dutch striker scored his first goal for the club to double their lead right on half-time, before Bruno Fernandes added the icing on the cake with a third late on to all-but confirm that United will make it to the Carabao Cup final.
With the three-goal lead and clean sheet giving United a massive advantage for the second leg at Old Trafford, fans can believe a trophy is within their grasp.
GOAL breaks down the winners, losers and player ratings as United got back to winning ways…
Getty ImagesThe Winners
Marcus Rashford:
The untouchable forward's fantastic form continues. Rashford had been lively from the beginning of the game and gave his team an early lead with a lovely goal. He now has 10 goals from as many games since the World Cup and 18 overall this season for United. His performance lasted less than an hour, but he was one of United's strongest performers as he linked up well with his team-mates despite some underwhelming performances from elsewhere in the team.
Wout Weghorst:
The Dutch striker looks a clever signing for Ten Hag's men. Always on the move and looking to unsettle the Forest defence, Weghorst helped move attacks along by combining well with his fellow attackers. His goalscoring prowess was on show when he pounced on a loose ball after Wayne Hennessey saved a shot from Antony and finished it off with ease to secure his team's victory before half-time.
Erik ten Hag:
The Dutch coach put out a strong team in this game and reaped the rewards. Their 3-0 lead in this tie will allow him to rest some key players in the second leg at Old Trafford next week, which may provide a big boost to his team's hopes of competing in this competition, the FA Cup and Europa League, while also keeping up their fight for a top-four finish in the Premier League. Ten Hag's side recovered well from their 3-2 loss at Arsenal and are back to winning ways.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers
Aaron Wan-Bissaka:
The full-back had plenty of space to work with on the right flank and made sure to get forward, but Wan-Bissaka was simply useless on the ball. Defensively, too, he had some dodgy moments as he left the United back line exposed. Yet another disappointing performance from a player whose future surely lies away from Old Trafford, even a move now seems likelier to come in the summer than in the final week of the January window.
Victor Lindelof:
With the Swedish centre-back and Wan-Bissaka holding the fort on the right side of the United defence, it's no surprise Forest were able to put the visitors under pressure. Lindelof's tackles were lame and his positioning was poor. He was certainly not up to the task against a lively Forest attack.
Nottingham Forest's centre-backs:
Scott McKenna and Joe Worrall were rather abysmal in the heart of the Forest defence. They were run ragged by the United attack and exposed on several occasions, as the likes of Rashford, Weghorst and Antony were able to fly into the centre of the home team's box. Forest continue to invest heavily in the team to enhance their chances of survival in the Premier League, and centre-back is definitely an area they need to take a proper look at as such defending will cost them dearly.
Getty ImagesMan Utd Ratings: Defence
David de Gea (7/10):
A safe pair of hands behind an uneven United defence. The goalkeeper made some strong saves to keep Forest out and ensure United take a clean sheet back to Old Trafford for the return fixture.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5/10):
Apart from a block on Gustavo Scarpa shortly after the hour mark, the right-back underwhelmed once again. He offered nothing on the ball and was apathetic for the most part when it came to defending.
Victor Lindelof (5/10):
Another dodgy display from the 28-year-old defender, giving Forest some belief that they could get back into the tie with their lively attack.
Lisandro Martinez (8/10):
United's best defender in this game by far. The Argentine was solid at the back as he chipped in with strong tackles and was sound on the ball to help them build attacks.
Tyrell Malacia (7/10):
The young full-back was constantly charging forward and often moving inside to offer a passing option. He made some good tackles, too, but can be a bit reckless with them.
Getty ImagesMidfield
Casemiro (4/10):
One of his worst performances for the visitors. He was run ragged at times by Morgan Gibbs-White at times and failed to protect the defence as Forest pushed forward. His passing left a lot to be desired too.
Christian Eriksen (5/10):
Tried to keep the ball in circulation in midfield but his passes were too sloppy and he barely made any penetrating passes that created any danger for United.
Bruno Fernandes (6/10):
Ineffective for most of this match until he fired in the third goal for the visitors. He was hopeless in attack for the most part, but he did well to rush in and smash home late on.